Calorie & Protein
Calculator

How Many Calories Should I Eat Per Day?

The number of calories you need per day depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most accurate formula for estimating daily calorie needs — to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). To lose weight, eat below your TDEE. To gain muscle, eat slightly above it.

How Much Protein Do I Need Per Day?

For most active adults, the recommended protein intake is 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of body weight per day. If you weigh 175 pounds, that means eating 122 to 175 grams of protein daily. Higher protein intake helps preserve muscle during weight loss, supports muscle building, and keeps you feeling fuller throughout the day.

What Is TDEE and Why Does It Matter?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including exercise and daily activity. Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight. Eating 500 calories below your TDEE creates a deficit that leads to approximately 1 pound of fat loss per week. This calculator gives you your exact TDEE based on your personal stats and activity level.

How to Hit Your Protein Goals Every Day

Getting enough protein can feel challenging, but it becomes easier when you plan your meals around protein-first thinking. Lean meats like chicken breast, turkey, and fish provide 25-30 grams of protein per serving. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and eggs are excellent breakfast options. For plant-based protein, focus on lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, and edamame.

Spreading your protein intake across 4-5 meals or snacks throughout the day is more effective than eating it all at once. Research suggests the body can only use about 30-40 grams of protein for muscle building at a single meal. Hitting your daily target consistently over weeks and months is what drives results.

Calories vs Macros: What Should I Track?

Tracking total calories is the most important variable for weight change. If you only have time to track one thing, track calories. However, tracking macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates, and fat — gives you a much more complete picture of your diet quality and helps ensure you are eating enough protein to preserve muscle during weight loss.

Most people find that once they hit their protein target, their calorie and carb intake naturally falls into a reasonable range. A practical approach is to set a calorie target from our calculator, then prioritize hitting your protein goal, and fill the remaining calories with a balance of carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Complete Nutrition Guide for Weight Loss and Muscle Building

Successful body composition change comes down to three key variables: total calories, protein intake, and training stimulus. Get these three things right and everything else is secondary. Total calories determine whether you gain or lose weight. Protein intake determines how much of that weight change is fat versus muscle. Training provides the signal to your body to build and preserve muscle even in a calorie deficit.

For weight loss, aim for a moderate deficit of 300-500 calories below your TDEE. Eat 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Resistance train 3-4 times per week. This combination allows you to lose fat while preserving or even gaining muscle — resulting in a leaner, more defined physique rather than just becoming a smaller version of your current self.

For muscle building, eat 200-300 calories above your TDEE — a lean bulk approach. Higher surpluses lead to faster fat gain without meaningfully faster muscle gain. Eat 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Progressive overload in your training — consistently lifting heavier weights over time — is the primary driver of muscle growth.

Meal Planning for Your Calorie and Protein Goals

Meal planning dramatically increases success rates for any nutrition goal. Spend 1-2 hours on Sunday preparing protein sources and vegetables for the week. Having pre-cooked chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and chopped vegetables in the refrigerator makes it easy to assemble nutritious meals quickly without resorting to fast food. Calculate your calorie and protein targets using our calculator above, then divide those targets across 3-5 meals throughout the day for best results.

📺 Watch: How to Calculate Your Calories and Macros

A step-by-step guide to finding your daily calorie and protein targets for fat loss or muscle building.